NHS Reliance On Private Mental Health Beds For Routine Care Report Reveals
A new study by The King’s Fund has revealed that a substantial proportion of routine NHS mental health care is now being delivered by private companies, charities, and independent providers, with 29% of NHS-funded inpatient beds sourced from the independent sector.
The think tank said the NHS has a “long and effective history” of outsourcing mental healthcare to private companies, charities, and other independent providers. But it found that the “use of independent sector beds has gone far beyond acting as valuable surge capacity and instead has become a core part of mental health provision in England,” adding that what was “once the exception is now the norm.”
While independent sector beds are free at the point of use, The King’s Fund warns that their use has evolved from surge capacity to a core component of mental health provision in England.
This shift raises concerns about transparency, as independent providers are not subject to the same level of data collection as NHS services, potentially limiting insight into patient outcomes and experience, especially for those with complex needs.
The King’s Fund’s Policy Director, Siva Anandaciva, commented:
“Independent sector health care capacity acts as an important release valve for many NHS services when they face periods of high demand. It would make no sense to leave private beds empty when the NHS could purchase spare capacity and patients still receive care free at the point of use.
“However, our analysis reveals that there has been a significant increase in the share of NHS mental health inpatient care being outsourced to independent providers. Far beyond acting as valuable surge capacity, the NHS has become reliant on the independent sector for delivery of routine mental health care.”
“This exposes the health service to greater risk of higher costs, could leave patients facing longer stays in hospital, and means the public has less transparent data about the quality of services.”
“For the NHS to be sustainable in the long term, there needs to be far more focus on providing care in the community that keeps people well. Traditionally, the mental health sector has made great progress in delivering community-based care. However, some patients with greater or more complex mental health needs may need inpatient care, and the NHS must do all it can to treat people in the appropriate setting for their health needs.”
Rebecca Gray, NHS Confederation mental health director, said:
“This new research highlights the scope of the independent sector in NHS funded mental health care, who often support patients with the most complex mental health needs.”
“With bed occupancy rates in NHS mental health trusts consistently over the safe limits recommended by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, independent sector provision can provide much-needed capacity in some areas.”
“While our ambition should be to reduce the need to admit patients in the first place by continuing to improve community mental health services and prevent crisis and admission, some patients will still need inpatient care when they are very unwell. As such, all hospital provision – whether in the NHS or independent sector – must meet the highest possible standards of care and safety.”
“With limited capital available, it is important that we continue to see active engagement between the NHS and independent providers in strategic discussions about appropriate and cost-effective use of high-quality independent sector capacity.”
